Freya Kemp(Twitter)
The England & Wales Cricket Board announced their squads for the all-format tour of South Africa. 19-year-old all-rounder, Freya Kemp, has been listed in the Test squad for the very first time. On the other hand, top-order batter, Maia Bouchier, who has been a regular feature of the limited overs squads for England Women, will be in the running for receiving her maiden cap after being named in the squad for the one-off four-day game.
While Lauren Filer has been picked to be a part of all the three squads, Danielle Gibson is set to miss out on the tour post a surgery on her left knee. The players, barring those featuring in the ongoing edition of the Women’s Big Bash League, have been undergoing training in Loughborough. Paige Scholfield, who made her debut in the white-ball series against Ireland Women in September, earned a call-up for the T20I segment of the forthcoming tour.
A notable exclusion from the side is one who is a brilliant prospect in the women’s game at present, Alice Capsey. A recent form slump has meant that she would have to bear the repercussions of being excluded from the T20I squad. Despite the batting all-rounder being on fire with the ball for the Melbourne Renegades Women in the ongoing edition of the Women’s Big Bash League, her Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 form seems to have carried into the franchise competition. She has been able to score only 27 runs in the first five innings.
The three T20Is between England Women and South Africa Women will be followed by as many ODIs. The one-off Test, to be played at the Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein will be the first on South African soil since 2002.
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T20I squad: Heather Knight (c), Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Sarah Glenn, Bess Heath, Amy Jones, Freya Kemp, Paige Scholfield, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Linsey Smith, Danni Wyatt-Hodge
ODI squad: Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey, Kate Cross, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Sarah Glenn, Amy Jones, Freya Kemp, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Danni Wyatt-Hodge
Test squad: Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Kate Cross, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Amy Jones, Freya Kemp, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Danni Wyatt-Hodge